The Victors and the Vanquished: A Tale From the Shadows of Time
by Brighteyes of Thunderclan
Summary: Ashstar. Darkraven. Bane. Stuck in an endless triangle of honor and betrayal, hatred and pain. You would never expect what comes next... Who will be the victors? And who the vanquished? Challenge Prologue for Darkclan :)


A pale brown she-cat curls around her shivering kits, all three cuddling up next to her in their mossy nest. The kittens mewl, frightened, as rain lashes the walls of the nursery, and thunder sounds above. "Listen, my children. This is the legend of our Clan, a tale from the ancient days." The queen murmurs, beginning a story to soothe her frightened kits as the storm rages outside the den. "It all began on a night like this…roaring thunder, pounding rain, and blazing forks of lightning, hiding the stars…

* * *

"_Who would've ever thought it would come to this?" A dark gray tom huddled beside a pale ginger she-cat asked. Thunder roared overhead._

"_I'm not sure, Ashstar." She murmured. "Shadowclan, reduced to hiding from itself! The once mighty Clan, the once feared Clan, now the laughing stock of the four as it fights a civil war within itself." She shakes her head wearily. "Sometimes I wonder if Starclan has sent this upon us. Maybe there's only meant to be three clans in the forest. We're going to tear ourselves apart." Ashstar turned to her, green eyes blazing._

"_No! There have always been four Clans in the forest! We will survive! We outnumber the others, the rebels. We will survive! Better yet, Sandheart, we will _thrive_**."**__ The older tom's voice sounded with power and emotion. "I will not let my precious Shadowclan die. We survived the outbreak of greencough, last Leaf-bare, that claimed the lives of half our clanmates, did we not?"_

"_We did." Sandheart meowed, blue eyes distant as she remembers the dark days that had wreaked havoc on Shadowclan for an entire season._

"_We fought off Riverclan when that mange pelted leader decided that her plump, fish-fed warriors deserved more prey, didn't we? We crushed them!" Ashstar continues._

"_Yes, we did. But-" Sandheart says, only to have her leader continue._

"And_ we beat the odds when Bane and his army of rogues came to conquer the Clans, didn't we?"_

"_But-"_

"Didn'twe_?"_

"_Yes, of course, but-"_

"_WE WILL SURVIVE!" Ashstar roars, a blast of thunder punctuating his cry. Unlike others, who cringe in Shadowclan's leader's presence, Sandheart didn't flinch. The pale ginger she-cat lifts her chin and looks Ashstar in the eye. _

"_We may have survived those incidents, but those were outside forces, Ashstar. This attack is from within. The heart of Shadowclan has always been strong united, but divided we fall. We _will_ fall. The plummet is inevitable. These cats, these _rebels_ fight with passion. This is a deep passion, a festering hatred of our ways, a burning loathing that's been smoldering quietly for lifetimes, and now it has had the fuel to grow. The fire is raging, Ashstar, and we cannot stop it. No amount of shadows may quench the flames, nothing can stifle the darkness that's rising. Soon, it smother us." Sandheart meowed, her blue eyes dark with sorrow. _

"_We have surpassed expectations in the past, my loyal deputy. This will be no different." Ashstar states confidently. "They may have passion, but _we are Shadowclan._ We fight with all the strengths of an ancient Clan. They have only their twisted morals. Do not doubt me, Sandheart, for if we do not pour all of our _own_ passion into this battle, you will be right. This is a battle we cannot afford to lose."_

* * *

_Lightning flashes in the dark, starless night. The bright light illuminates the swampy forest beneath the endless stormy black skies, and two shadowy silhouettes are exposed upon a branch of a great pine. The sinister shapes sit close together, voices barely heard underneath the booming thunderclaps that follow the purple-white electricity arching above. _

"_It is the perfect opportunity. We strike tonight, when the Clan is hidden from the stars, and we have the cover of storm." The smaller shape murmurs, casting a glance towards the raging battle in the night. _

"_It seems that even the sky is at war." The larger form replies, looking up as well, only to be caught staring into yet another fork of lightning. This flash reveals the true forms of the figures on the thick bough. One is a shaggy furred brown-gray tom, half of one ear missing and one copper eye clouded over to a milky white. Beside him rests a strikingly handsome, enormous black-blue tom, the color of a deep twilight. A single white splash upon his chest glows in the darkness. His dark, almost unrecognizable as amber eyes shone brightly, the lightning revealing diminutive golden flecks, normally lost in the depths of the darkest ochre. Both toms gazed upon the warring weather, the larger one with a hint of amusement crossing his face. _

"_Do you truly believe we can accomplish this? It's quite a feat, I'm sure, and you have already failed once." The cat with the pelt of evening sky asked, turning toward his ragged companion. The hunched, older feline turns his head, one sight-gifted eye gleaming in the occasional bursts of luminosity from above. _

"_Tsk, tsk." He rasps in a mocking tone. "My dear, dear accomplice. You of all cats should know better than to doubt _me_**.**__" _

_The larger tom shifts uncomfortably, but regains his regal composure. "It-it is just that the followers are becoming…restless. The last spat was six sunrises ago, and the latest raid even further back. They are beginning to doubt me. This means they are beginning to doubt _us_**.**__ There have been…whispers, rumors, if you will, that I am not fit for leadership. There cannot be an uprising among the up-risers, it would be unbecoming." _

"_The final battle is fast approaching. Tonight, we shall win. With my survivors aiding your blood-thirsty rebels, victory will be sweet." The elder cat's scratchy voice grates against his companion's ears, causing the tom to flinch. Once the spike-furred shape finished speaking, the larger form nodded in agreement, straightening up and proclaiming:_

"_We are strong. Shadowclan is weak. The battles and disease have plagued them for far too long, and their strength diminishes quickly. They are no longer the once feared Clan. Shadowclan cats don't deserve their place within the sacred foursome."_

"_Darkraven. You speak as if you aren't one." The copper-eyed tom meowed scathingly, awaiting the appropriate response. _

"_I am not, Bane. And this is a battle we cannot lose."_

* * *

_The ensuing battle was legendary. It was cat on cat, yet it was not. Warrior fought traitor, both bloods spilling upon the forest floor, falling as quickly and heavily as the torrential rain that pounded their pelts. Claw on tooth, swipe against slash, the warring felines raged on. Some fought for glory and honor, while others clashed only to unleash the pent up fury upon former clanmates. No stars shone that night, for Starclan themselves were unable to prevent the torrent of death and anger that spattered the woodland swamps during the turbulent squall. Bodies fell like dead trees, thumping down on the scuffed dirt. Cats were forced to fight standing atop their fallen comrades. Blood spilled blood, and it was as if a crimson river flowed throughout Shadowclan's terrain that night. _

_Finally, the dominant force, led by their proud commander, cornered the defeated, hackles raised, snarls turned to vicious, victorious sneers. _

"_We came, and we conquered." The noble leader yowled to the masses assembled. The triumphant cats raised their voices in turn; a raucous swell of cheers flooding the battleground. The vanquished cats shrunk back, eyes alive with malice. "Now, you dirty traitors, dare I even call you cats?" Ashstar snarled, gazing upon the cowering rebels with disgust. "You split off from your own Clan, your _family_, and expect to win against them in battle? When their hearts are full of disgust and betrayal, what better to fuel their strength? Have you so soon forgotten the greatness of Shadowclan? Well, you've been put back in your place. Cowards, slinking into our camp amidst a storm, thinking you could take us. Well, we have CRUSHED you! You and your black hearts will never be welcomed again! You are hereby _banished_from Shadowclan! Banished from _all_the Clans, once they catch word of your treachery. Be gone with you, scoundrels!" The gray tom declares, casting a triumphant, and, at the same time, hateful look towards the recoiling group of rebels and rogues. Out of their midst, the twilight colored tom emerges, eyes ablaze with hate, pelt matted with blood and muck. _

"_This will not be the last you here of us, Ashstar. We shall return! And we shall be stronger than ever. I promise you that." He hissed, voice deep and powerful._

"_Darkraven. You and your kind will forever have left a dark shadow on the history of Shadowclan. You mar the very _idea_of honor! Your names will go down in infamy, in shame and disgrace. Get out my sight." Ashstar spat, turning away from the beaten crowd. He bounded off through the ruby-stained underbrush, band of clanmates at his heels._

"_As you wish, _Ashstar_**.**__" Darkraven whispered mockingly, the scorn in his voice clearly evident. Then, whirling around, he faces his followers. "Clanmates! We are not finished! We are not beaten! This has only driven us further towards our goal! Separate from those fools, we are better. We are stronger than they are. They may have their little Shadowclan, but _we_**, **_we_ have our own Clan! We have…Darkclan! All for Darkclan!" He calls to his rallied supporters. The cats cheer, calling the Clan's name into the night, yowling it to the absent stars, _

"_DARKCLAN! DARKCLAN! DARKCLAN! DARKCLAN! DARKCLAN! DARKCLAN!" They shout, tails waving and ears perked. Darkraven watches proudly, and then, leaping up onto a low hanging branch of a nearby cedar. _

"_And I shall be your leader! I am Darkstar! And we shall have our revenge! Who's with me?" He called down to his clanmates, who raised their voices as one: _

"_ALL HAIL DARKSTAR! DARKSTAR! DARKCLAN! DARKSTAR! DARKCLAN! DARKSTAR!" Said tom soared down from his perch and approached a strong-looking, burly black and gray tom with glaring blue eyes._

"_Smokeclaw. You have been a truly loyal follower, even when all future prospects looked dim, and when others had given up faith. I now appoint you my deputy, my second in command, future leader of Darkclan." Darkraven announced. The other clancats murmured approvingly, aside from the jealous ones who exchanged dark looks, the ones who had fostered hope that they would be deputy. "Smokeclaw, take our clanmates and find a new home, a new territory." Darkraven commanded. The deputy dipped his head, and bounded out of the battlefield, all of Darkclan following. Once they had left, a scarred, spike-furred figure stepped out from hiding place amid the shadows. _

"_Darkraven. This wasn't the plan." It rasped._

"_Was it, Bane?" The self-appointed leader asked, not bothering to turn and face the elderly tom. Suddenly, he whirled about, paw outstretched, claws unsheathed. The blow caught the former rogue commander creating five long, deep, crimson gashes across Bane's chest. Dark blood gushed out, engulfing the already saturated, mossy ground. It pooled beneath the ragged tom, and when he fell, a splash soaked Darkraven's forelegs in thick, scarlet juices. The twilight-pelted tom didn't even blink. _

"_So long, old cat." He smirked, dark amber eyes lit once again by a bolt of lightning. A crashing thunderclap followed, shaking the very ground. The driving rain that fell in seemingly unending sheets could do nothing but quake in the air at the deafening boom. Bane gazed up at Darkraven, droplets of water lashing at his eyes. _

"_W-we had…a deal…" He gasped, body shaking from the loss of blood. _

"_Oh, yes. The deal. You take over Shadowclan, with me as the face of the rebellion. In return, we rule together. You see, _your plan didn't work_." Darkraven meowed in a false pondering manner, at the end his voice curling into a disgusted jeer._

"_You-you _betrayer_, Dakraven. It could've been ours. E-Everything." Bane gurgled, blood pulsing even faster with the words._

"_And now it's mine. This is _Dark_clan. There is no _we_ anymore. There is no place for you here, Bane. Goodbye." The shadowy leader's claws flashed again in the darkness, hovering for a moment over the prone body of his former superior like a hawk. Then, even more hawk-like, they dove at the dying cat, plunging into his chest, and tearing out his heart. The copper eye instantly glazed over and the breathing stopped immediately. Darkraven walked away calm, unfazed. He then disappeared into the shadowed night. Like the raven he was named for, the black tom's reign began with death, a foreboding sign. Once he left the battle-zone, the only moment was the slow trickle of blood down the corner of Bane's jaw._

* * *

"And so the legacy begins, my children. And it begins with murder."


End file.
